Treatment of Helicobacter pylori in surgical practice: a randomised trial of triple versus quadruple therapy in a rural district general hospital.

AIM: To compare a lansoprazole-based triple versus quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) eradication with emphasis on side effect profile, patient compliance and eradication rate at a rural district general hospital in Wales, United Kingdom. METHODS: One hundred one patients with H pylori infection were included in the study. Patients were randomised to receive triple therapy comprising of lansoprazole 30 mg, amoxycillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg, all b.d. (LAC), or quadruple therapy comprising of lansoprazole 30 mg b.d., metronidazole 500 mg t.d.s., bismuth subcitrate 240 mg b.d., and tetracycline chloride 500 mg q.d.s. (LMBT). Cure was defined as a negative (13)C urea breath test 2 mo after treatment. RESULTS: Seven patients were withdrawn after randomisation. Fifty patients were assigned to LAC group and 44 to LMBT group. The intention-to-treat cure rates were 92% and 91%, whereas the per-protocol cure rates were 92% and 97%, respectively. Side effects were common, with 56% experiencing moderate to severe symptoms in the LAC group and 59% in the LMBT group. Symptoms of vomiting, diarrhoea and black stools were significantly more common in the LMBT group. Patient compliance was 100% for triple therapy and 86% for quadruple therapy (P < 0.01). One-third of patients in both groups were still taking acid-reducing medications at six-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: One-week triple and quadruple therapies have similar intention-to-treat eradication rates. Certain side effects are more common with quadruple therapy, which can compromise patient compliance. Patient education or modifications to the regimen are alternative options to improve compliance of the quadruple regimen.

Cholecystectomy or Cholelithiasis - a Missed Marker for Hyperlipidaemia? A Combined Retrospective and Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have shown an association between gallstones and abnormal lipids and the latter increases the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke. Our study investigates the current incidence of lipid abnormalities in patients who have undergone cholecystectomy (retrospective study) and who have gallstones (prospective study). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the lipid profiles of 715 patients who underwent cholecystectomy in a rural district general hospital from 2003 to 2006. Details of the cholecystectomy patients were obtained from Patient Information and Management System (PIMS) and cross-referenced with biochemical and histological databases. Following this a prospective study was undertaken of 129 patients presenting with gallstones. RESULTS: Of the 715 patients, three quarters were women. Only 36.2% of women and 36.9% of men who had a cholecystectomy had a full lipid profile including high density lipoproteins (HDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL). Of these, 76.4% of women and 70.7% of men had an abnormal lipid profile. In the prospective group, 91.1 % of women and 96.3 % of men had a full lipid profile. These were abnormal in 81.4% of women and 70.4 % of men. Hypercholesterolemia and raised LDL were the most common abnormalities in both sexes. Hypertriglyceridaemia was common in both sexes in both the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have had a cholecystectomy or gallstones should have a full fasting lipid profile, including HDL and LDL, as a large proportion will be abnormal. Current guidelines suggest they are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and should be treated.

Who should stage upper gastrointestinal tract malignancy?

District general hospitals with trained upper gastrointestinal surgeons should undertake staging of patients with upper gastrointestinal cancers within their catchment areas. This could considerable reduce the workload at regional cancer centres.